Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 609 Kill
Tang Xing also struggled with the idea that they shouldn't be provoked by those people, and that he should even go and appease them, telling everyone to ignore them.

But he can't.

Unlike ordinary caravans, neither the ladies nor the gentlemen treated them like cattle or horses.

These goods are important, but not as important as human lives.

Furthermore, Madam Xie dared to defy the prefect in Daming Prefecture, and when she came to Bianjing, she risked everything to rescue Feng Erniang. She even used herself as bait to lure Xia Mengxian into a trap.

The old lady would never yield to these people.

It was because of these considerations that Tang Xing made up his mind that they had to fight back.

Tang Xingdao said, "Those people weren't after the goods; they weren't ordinary bandits."

“Bandits wouldn’t do something like that. They’re coming for us.”

Since that's the case, there's no need for them to guard the goods. They might as well rush out together and catch those people off guard. Perhaps they can save more people.

To achieve a decisive victory, one must make preparations, rather than acting rashly.

……

Outside the woods.

Another villager was driven away and ran.

Seeing the villagers' terrified expressions, the "bandits" all smiled.

So interesting.

It's much more interesting than killing people randomly.

"Please, please let my son go! Let this old woman go in for him."

The bound villagers could only watch helplessly as the "bandits" stabbed them before driving them into the forest. In this way, whether they found anyone or not, they were doomed.

They couldn't bear to watch their loved ones die like this.

"Can you run?"

Upon hearing the word "bandits," the old woman nodded repeatedly: "Yes, this old woman can run."

The bandit laughed and said, "Then you'd better hurry. As long as you can find those people, I'll release your son. Otherwise... he'll be next."

The old woman's face lit up with hope: "Okay...okay...I'll definitely run as fast as I can."

The old woman's son tried to stop him, saying he would rather die than see his mother like this. However, the "bandit" had clearly made up his mind. He untied the ropes binding the old woman and led her forward.

To help them find the caravan, they needed to die slowly, the later the better. At first, they couldn't control their strength, and several villagers were stabbed to death immediately.

If they fail to achieve their goal of harassing the caravan, their deaths are pointless and only make their efforts go to waste.

"Let me think about how best to stab you."

Several villagers were sent in one after another. The caravan must be suffering terribly now. As their schemes were gradually realized, the "bandits" felt increasingly relaxed. When people relax, they inevitably want to find some fun.

"Or I'll cut off your arm."

The old woman trembled upon hearing this.

"A person can still run even without an arm, but they won't live long. However, you're older, so you probably won't last much longer."

The "bandits" scanned the old woman with ill intent.

The old woman could barely stand; his gaze was like a knife, cutting into her flesh.

The bandit finally made up his mind: "I've thought it through. Since you don't have much strength and won't make a sound if you shout, I might as well cut out your tongue."

As he spoke, he drew his long knife, ready to stab the old woman. However, he had no time to actually cut off her tongue; he was just toying with her. Someone so old was useless. He would cut off her head, and the next person entering the forest would run in with her severed head for help. He wondered what the caravan members would think if they saw this.
If he can force someone to come out, he will have accomplished a great feat.

The bandit aimed at the old woman's neck, about to apply force, when a strange sound came from beside him.

Something came on the wind and then, with a "plop," pierced into the flesh.

The bandit's eyes widened. Before he could figure out what was happening, a powerful force lured him forward, and a sharp wooden stick pierced through his body. He struggled for a moment, then died.

The old woman almost cried out, but at the crucial moment she tightly covered her mouth.

If tonight's experience hadn't shown her so many cruel methods, she definitely wouldn't have been able to control her reaction.

Tang Xing gestured to his mouth with his hand, not even bothering to look at the old woman, and led his men forward.

At this moment, the "bandits" guarding the villagers were chatting and laughing together. Holding the power of life and death in their hands, they had the illusion that they were about to win a great victory, so they inevitably let their guard down.

Tang Xing stared intently at those people, then suddenly spoke: "Damn it."

The sharpened wooden stick immediately flew out of his hand.

The sound of something cutting through the air reached the sentry, who noticed the anomaly first, but before he could warn anyone, the wooden gun was right in front of him.

The next moment, someone screamed and fell to the ground.

Tang Xing and Chen Rong gave these people no chance to recover before leading their men out to fight their way out.

"Now I'll let you beasts taste what it's like to be killed."

Chen Rong shouted and stepped forward, first taking down one of the "bandits," while the man next to him also plunged a wooden spear into the "bandit's" chest.

"Seize their weapons."

Tang Xing feared that the crowd had become too engrossed in the fight and forgotten his earlier instructions. But he was clearly overthinking it. In a life-or-death struggle, people instinctively grab the most convenient weapon. Wooden spears may be good, but how can they compare to the swift and painful experience of a direct, bloody clash?

They had too much pent-up anger and hatred in their hearts. When they rushed out and saw the culprits, only one word came to their minds: kill.

Kill these beasts.

With a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other, Tang Xing charged ahead, hacking and slashing several people before quickly clearing a space. The "bandits," already caught off guard, were filled with fear upon seeing this reckless fighting style.

"Release the villagers."

Upon hearing Tang Xing's words, the soldiers who had followed immediately ran towards the villagers.

The villagers were cut, and they immediately fled in panic. A few men did not leave; they picked up wooden guns from the ground and also ran towards the "bandits."

Chen Rong didn't blame the villagers for only caring about fleeing. There was no use in leaving behind the elderly, women, and children. He shouted, "Go to the nearest government office to deliver the message."

He believed someone had heard the news and would try to pass it on.

More people approached from the darkness, but Tang Xing, Chen Rong, and the others were not alarmed; they had expected this to happen.

"Come on!" Chen Rong shouted, slashing at the oncoming "bandits" with his sword. Finally, he could have a good fight. No matter how many people came, he would not back down.

……

Xia Dalang, standing not far away, frowned: "Those people have come out?"

The person next to him whispered, "It should be."

Xia Dalang didn't expect it to happen so quickly; he guessed that these people should be able to endure it for one night.

The caravan won't be able to rest tonight, so taking action tomorrow night would be more advantageous for them.

“You brute,” Xia Dalang said, “I thought they were really training like soldiers, but they’re so impatient.”

(End of this chapter)